STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The South Shore woman who was shot in the gut and saw her husband slain in their Huguenot home this week by a reputedly disgruntled former business associate remains in the intensive care unit of Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, in critical but stable condition, hospital officials said.

The only sign of the violence was the police vehicle that idled yesterday outside the two-story Colonial home at 115 Collyer Ave., where the violence erupted.

A neighbor whose life was spared only by fate and grace, when a gun put to his head by Iglanov failed to fire, pleaded for privacy.

Joseph Shwereb was walking his dog when Ms. Tartakovskaya ran outside, clutching her bleeding stomach. As Shwereb dialed 911, an enraged Iglanov darted out of the home and pointed his .25-caliber weapon at the neighbor; Iglanov pumped it twice but it jammed and did not discharge.

"Please respect my privacy," said Shwereb through his door last night. "When the time is right, I will send my account to the Advance."